Tele smokes my Lesters...

[DHart]

Surprising... but may be not? I am enjoying playing this Tele HH more than my recently acquired Les Pauls, nice as they truly are.

It's all about the body form and size, the weight, the perfect balance on the lap, and the Fender American Tele rosewood neck is such a great one. And... the tone!

Leo wasn't even a guitar player, yet he got the Tele body size and shape SO PERFECTLY comfortable and shaped!!! (Enhanced, in recent years, by the contour on the back!) I loved Strats for so many years until discovering the perfection that is the Tele. Now, my Strats are "second fiddle."

And, the Fender neck & body somehow give the Dimarzio PAF humbuckers an extra measure of clarity and sweetness that Les Paul bodies just don't quite impart on their humbuckers? Go figure! I got no idea why.

Don't get me wrong... I do love the Lesters. But I can't deny that when it comes down to flat out playing comfort, the Tele HH wins out.

Oh well... I love them all for their differences, but I just gotta say... don't discount a Fender Tele HH, sporting a great set of PAF humbuckers.

It IS a truly winning combination, for sure! The neck, body, weight, balance, and crystal clear, full-bodied, bright, sparkly, rich tones. (And, no hum!) Hard to beat that!

Fender American rosewood neck, Fender Player HH body in Tidepool finish, Dimarzio PAF Master pickups - uncovered, 510k Volume pot, 250k No-Load tone pot, .015uF Orange Drop cap, Switchcraft toggle selector switch, and '50s wiring design. Sweet, sweet tones in an exceptionally comfortable instrument to play.

I am so impressed with this instrument!

 

[3bolt79]

I bought a Squier Tele, an Affinity and put the EMG T Kit in it. It sounds good now, but I will spend more on my next Tele. The $250 Affinity just wasn’t up to par.

I wouldn’t play a Tele enough to justify an American Made one. But for some reason, unknown to me, every bar jam I’ve been to in the last ten years, the loaner guitar has always been a Tele. Last time it was an HH.

I might check out one of those Showmaster Tele’s with the SD’s in them. Or maybe a Squier Classic Vibe.

That’s a pretty sweet one you have put together there. Congrats on that.

I am thinking about removing the EMG Kit from the Affinity and parting it out.

 

[DHart]

My preferred Tele is one where I've purchased a body that I love and, separately, a neck that I love - then built it up with my preferred pickups and electronics. In the end, I've made numerous Fender Teles that suit my preferences to a "T". (The necks and bodies have all been Fender-brand, either MIM or USA. I did buy one Squier Thinline mahogany body, which was a perfect match to a Fender MIM neck.).

Most of my Fender bodies and necks have come from Stratosphere - which appears to be selling only on eBay these days.

 

[Darkness]

 

[DHart]

View attachment 23028

Well... "the red one" is a close second. I keep 9s on the red one, for that unique feel/sound. And the blue one gets 10.5s, which I tend to prefer most of the time.

Still love my Lesters. The Epiphone LP Moderns even more than the Gibson Traditional! Weight has a lot to do with that: <8 lbs vs. 9.3 lbs. - quite a noticeable difference. The Gibson does have a more solid, deeper chunkier tone (perhaps due to the weight?) and the Epis have a slightly lighter, more airy tone (perhaps due to lighter weight?)

 

[Darkness]

I've only picked up a couple of Tele to try out. Initially I thought they felt a bit awkward, but anything feels awkward the first 5 minutes. I was able to play one in Japan a bit longer and liked it.

You've got quite the nice fleet, and a great camera too.

 

[DHart]

I've only picked up a couple of Tele to try out. Initially I thought they felt a bit awkward, but anything feels awkward the first 5 minutes. I was able to play one in Japan a bit longer and liked it.

You've got quite the nice fleet, and a great camera too.

Thank you. Yes, it is a bit of an embarrassment of guitars, as there are so many and all so nice. Happened gradually, over a decade, bit by bit. And the cameras are great. I’m a retired commercial photographer.

For decades, as a guitarist, I wouldn’t even LOOK at a Tele. Just no inter est in them whatsoever. Strats and Les Pauls had my interest. But that all changed after I saw the “red one”, HH, and bought it. Really great guitar.

Finally, I really “GOT” Teles and now have far more of them than any other type of guitar. There is truly something epic about a Tele that one has to be open to discover.

My favorite Teles don’t have Tele neck pickups in them, but have Firebird, MinI humbucker, Stratocaster, or humbucker pickups at the neck position. Or are HH, with two humbuckers.

I don’t often play the bridge pickup alone. Almost always I play the neck pickup, or neck and bridge together. Fantastic tones. The other thing I really love about Teles is how easy they are to mod. I mix and match necks and bodies, pickup choices, electronics, etc. I guess it borders on being a sickness. A delightful illness.

 

[DHart]

I bought a Squier Tele, an Affinity and put the EMG T Kit in it. It sounds good now, but I will spend more on my next Tele. The $250 Affinity just wasn’t up to par.

I wouldn’t play a Tele enough to justify an American Made one. But for some reason, unknown to me, every bar jam I’ve been to in the last ten years, the loaner guitar has always been a Tele. Last time it was an HH.

I might check out one of those Showmaster Tele’s with the SD’s in them. Or maybe a Squier Classic Vibe.

That’s a pretty sweet one you have put together there. Congrats on that.

I am thinking about removing the EMG Kit from the Affinity and parting it out.

Try this…. Shop for a Fender MIM or USA Tele body on eBay… favorite color and all. Then, shop for a Fender MIM or USA neck on eBay. Rosewood, maple, Pau Ferro… whatever you like. They will go together like bread and butter.

Then choose your pickups, pick guard to accommodate, your electronics, preferred style of bridge, preferred type of switch and control plate to match, preferred type of tuners, and pot knobs.

Put it all together and you will have your own, very highly personalized, “custom shop” Fender Tele! It will be a modded Fender Tele because both neck and body were made my Fender. You’ll love it and never want to sell it!

Two of my favorites are these, which I built exactly as I described above.

Fender never dreamed of building Teles like these two. They are unique and amazing guitars.

 

[Paruwi]

I've had my share of Teles in the past,
by now those 3 are my keepers

 

[3bolt79]

Try this…. Shop for a Fender MIM or USA Tele body on eBay… favorite color and all. Then, shop for a Fender MIM or USA neck on eBay. Rosewood, maple, Pau Ferro… whatever you like. They will go together like bread and butter.

Then choose your pickups, pick guard to accommodate, your electronics, preferred style of bridge, preferred type of switch and control plate to match, preferred type of tuners, and pot knobs.

Put it all together and you will have your own, very highly personalized, “custom shop” Fender Tele! It will be a modded Fender Tele because both neck and body were made my Fender. You’ll love it and never want to sell it!

Two of my favorites are these, which I built exactly as I described above.

Fender never dreamed of building Teles like these two. They are unique and amazing guitars.

Those look great!

 

[DHart]

View attachment 23028

Darkness... I figured that you, if anyone, would want to be the first to hear the news!

"The Red One" as you have named it (Candy Apple Red, to be exact), which you have been closely following in my photos, has received a Fender USA Special Run Ebony fretboard neck, with locking tuners. (The maple neck went to another of my Teles... a red Thinline, to be exact. )

YES... "The Red One" (a Fender Blacktop Tele HH) is definitely one of my special ones! It sports a pair of Gibson Classic '57 pickups and a Switchcraft toggle selector switch. And the neck pickup A2 magnet was swapped out for an A5 magnet, for a little extra "pizzaz" and high end sparkle.

A Fender USA neck on a Fender MIM body... makes a very nice, customized, paring.

Plays like a dream and pumps out beautiful, clean Gibson Classic '57 tones.

Body carve on the back nestles up smooth to the ribcage, when playing sitting. Perfectly balances on the lap, too. I love it.

 

[Darkness]

We must see high quality photographs documenting this. Normally I would say "pics" but that is insulting to the level of photographs that you take.

I spoke too soon, you've added photographs and dear God I've never seen such a beautiful neck. Its as if you were asked "would you like Rosewood or Ebony?" And replied "Yes please".

I am strongly considering building a red one of my own, in honor of your Red One. A ground-up build- once time and money are available, and of course, when my wife isn't watching my guitar rack. I kind of want a butterscotch, but I have a few guitars in similar hue and no red ones to speak of. Before the planets are in perfect alignment I'll have time to learn about the bridge options, it must be a hard tail. The other options will be a matter of taste, but I know little of the strange items unique to the Telecaster world.

 

[DHart]

We must see high quality photographs documenting this. Normally I would say "pics" but that is insulting to the level of photographs that you take.

I spoke too soon, you've added photographs and dear God I've never seen such a beautiful neck. Its as if you were asked "would you like Rosewood or Ebony?" And replied "Yes please".

I am strongly considering building a red one of my own, in honor of your Red One. A ground-up build- once time and money are available, and of course, when my wife isn't watching my guitar rack. I kind of want a butterscotch, but I have a few guitars in similar hue and no red ones to speak of. Before the planets are in perfect alignment I'll have time to learn about the bridge options, it must be a hard tail. The other options will be a matter of taste, but I know little of the strange items unique to the Telecaster world.

Just the opposite of you... I am hurting for butterscotch, but have an abundance of deep, wine reds! Funny.

Since you seem to really like reds, I will say that my favorite Fender red is not the Candy Apple Red, you have been spotting. That's a bit light and lacking the deep, rich metallic depth that I prefer.

My favorite Fender red is Mystic Red, which is more like what I would call BLOOD red. Deep, dark, mysterious - like blood!

Anyway, I have a Fender American Standard Tele in just that color. And, a Fender American Standard Strat, also in Mystic Red. (Like I said, it's my favorite Fender red color.)

From a distance, you will see the richness and depth, but you won't see the metal flake in it. BUT, if you get up close, AND you put a lot of light into it... then you can see the metal:

Candy Apple Red is a lighter tone, has no metal flake in it, and looks quite flat (no depth) and one-dimensional - when compared to Mystic Red.

Unfortunately, Mystic Red (like my other favorite Fender color, Jade Pearl Metallic) is not an easy color to find, as Fender only offered them for a season or two. But it is worth seeking out. Deep, dark, mysterious, metallic.. like BLOOD!

If you're interested... here's Fender's Jade Pearl Metallic:

Up very close, with a lot of light, there is metal!

 

[Darkness]

I like that Jade quite a lot.

 

[Scotty]

Surprising... but may be not? I am enjoying playing this Tele HH more than my recently acquired Les Pauls, nice as they truly are.

It's all about the body form and size, the weight, the perfect balance on the lap, and the Fender American Tele rosewood neck is such a great one. And... the tone!

Leo wasn't even a guitar player, yet he got the Tele body size and shape SO PERFECTLY comfortable and shaped!!! (Enhanced, in recent years, by the contour on the back!) I loved Strats for so many years until discovering the perfection that is the Tele. Now, my Strats are "second fiddle."

And, the Fender neck & body somehow give the Dimarzio PAF humbuckers an extra measure of clarity and sweetness that Les Paul bodies just don't quite impart on their humbuckers? Go figure! I got no idea why.

Don't get me wrong... I do love the Lesters. But I can't deny that when it comes down to flat out playing comfort, the Tele HH wins out.

Oh well... I love them all for their differences, but I just gotta say... don't discount a Fender Tele HH, sporting a great set of PAF humbuckers.

It IS a truly winning combination, for sure! The neck, body, weight, balance, and crystal clear, full-bodied, bright, sparkly, rich tones. (And, no hum!) Hard to beat that!

Fender American rosewood neck, Fender Player HH body in Tidepool finish, Dimarzio PAF Master pickups - uncovered, 510k Volume pot, 250k No-Load tone pot, .015uF Orange Drop cap, Switchcraft toggle selector switch, and '50s wiring design. Sweet, sweet tones in an exceptionally comfortable instrument to play.

I am so impressed with this instrument!

Dang that looks sweet!

 

[DHart]

Dang that looks sweet!

Thanks, Scotty.

 

[aarono2690]

Idk why I found the term “Lesters” so funny

 

[Telechamp]

Darkness... I figured that you, if anyone, would want to be the first to hear the news!

"The Red One" as you have named it (Candy Apple Red, to be exact), which you have been closely following in my photos, has received a Fender USA Special Run Ebony fretboard neck, with locking tuners. (The maple neck went to another of my Teles... a red Thinline, to be exact. )

YES... "The Red One" (a Fender Blacktop Tele HH) is definitely one of my special ones! It sports a pair of Gibson Classic '57 pickups and a Switchcraft toggle selector switch. And the neck pickup A2 magnet was swapped out for an A5 magnet, for a little extra "pizzaz" and high end sparkle.

A Fender USA neck on a Fender MIM body... makes a very nice, customized, paring.

Plays like a dream and pumps out beautiful, clean Gibson Classic '57 tones.

Body carve on the back nestles up smooth to the ribcage, when playing sitting. Perfectly balances on the lap, too. I love it.

Oh man - That neck...

 

[Darkness]

Idk why I found the term “Lesters” so funny

Makes me think of a Nintendo game

 

[LP_SPC_1_P90]

I usually end up playing a Strat at the end of a LP or Telecaster session. Not that any are better/worse than the other, but sometimes on Straturday, a LP or Tele gets the encore play. Perhaps even the entire Straturday set(s).